Storytelling in business
Raised in an oral culture, I heard about my family’s past and moral lessons from my ancestors in songs, tales and idioms. The customary recital of my clan’s lineage punctuated with anecdotes of home affairs and warfare affirmed my place amongst my relatives.
Belonging is the emotional connection that is stirred up by a shared experience. It is the glue that keeps families, friends and communities together; the reason particular photographs, food, and music can kindle nostalgia.
What does storytelling have to do with your business?
Stories told well, sincerely and timeously have the lore of attraction. From the Beetles' Applescruffs to Beyoncé's Bey Hive; pop culture has shown us that customers who turn into fans influence a Brand's perceived value. Repeatedly meeting and exceeding your customers' expectations and sharing that through brand stories can inspire fandom.
What does business storytelling look like? Storytelling is an evolution of marketing, branding, and sales. These three disciplines perform best when a company uses strong narratives.
1. BRANDING
Building a reputation is a journey of private and public steps an entrepreneur takes to bring their product to the world; their mission. Storytelling reminds your customers of your mission with charisma and personality. Business stories complete and connect marketing, sales, advertising, graphic design and social media.
Do you need help creating lasting content that completes your marketing and sales strategies and fosters stronger relationships with your customers?
2. ARTICULATING YOUR MISSION
Your mission is the chain of steps you take to bring your product to the world. Repeat these steps enough times, and you will create an expectation to live up to every time. Create a mission story that inspires your team to focus on meeting your clients' expectations.
Your staff can also benefit from business storytelling to increase their organisational awareness. Get help to unpack your corporate values, writing your business's origin story and curating mission and vision stories.
3. PROPOSING ADDITIONAL VALUE
Value is defined by the buyer’s and sellers’ respective relationships with the product or service, therefore, it is subjective. Do you spend enough time with your customers to understand the value they place on your product? Try. You may discover a new perspective that will enhance your brand story and empower your marketing plan.
Imagine if the Colgate-Palmolive Company knew that most Xhosa speaking people from the Eastern Cape of South Africa refer to all toothpaste as Colgate, regardless of what brand it is. For this small segment of their market, the name Colgate is a synonym for the word toothpaste. They would probably buy more shelf space at every outlet throughout the Eastern Cape. I imagine a tongue-in-cheek ad flighted on Channel 163, SABC 1, and uMhlobo Wenene throwing their weight around.
Business storytelling has the power to multiply your one true fan.
I would love to help you tell your true story, contact me to talk about your next writing project.
Mandisa Magwaxaza Communications